Come into the garden said the Carnivorous plant to the fly
I have a number of carnivorous plants which I keep in the greenhouse over the winter. I stand them outside in trays of water when any danger of frost has passed. Here are some of them on display last year.
Carnivorous plants
Some of the Sarracenias (Pitcher plants) are actually hardy in the UK so I decided to create a bog container so that I can group them together. If successful I’ll create smaller container gardens for the non hardy plants so that these can be moved under cover in cold weather. The problem is where to put this large container which will stay outdoors permanently? My garden is not known for empty spaces. Luckily my pond clearing of a few days ago gave me the answer. I had a small container pond from which I had removed a Water lily and a grass so that I could transfer them into the main pond. The container pond was now empty so I decided to replace it with a new container for the Sarracenias.
Old container pond and new replacement pot
Like the old pond the new container is partly sunk in the ground to keep it cool. Luckily it was much the same size so n0 extra digging was required. The pot has no drainage holes to allow it to remain very boggy. I filled it with 1 1/2 parts spagnum moss peat to 1 part silver sand mixed with sandy grit. This was mixed in a wheelbarrow along with lots of rainwater till the mixture was soaked. I filled the new pot and left it overnight. Of course it it rained heavily so the peat mixture was thoroughly wet and gloopy by morning.
New carnivorous garden
Have you tried planting in very, very wet peat? It’s like trying to dig a hole in the sea. I developed a technique of digging a hole very fast and then dropping the plant in it before it filled back up with what looked like soup. Finally I managed to get the Sarracenias planted. The surface should soon grow a covering of green moss, given time. I am sure the plants feel better for having their roots in a bog and it should be cooler for them if we have a hot summer (She says hopefully!).
Carnivorous garden planted up with Sarracenias
I’m hoping the new garden will encourage the plants to grow more pitchers and the sunny position should encourage richer colours. Sarracenias are indigenous to the wet lands of thr South-eastern coastal plains of the USA, from Louisiana up to North Carolina. I find them attractive though some people are put off by their insect eating habits. I must say they have a certain subliminal “aliveness” which is not apparent in many other plants.
The hood above the pitcher provides a landing area for insects. They are attracted to the colouration and to the nectar glands which are scattered over it. The insect then flies underneath where it senses more nectar is available.
The hood of Sarracenia hybrid (5)
Under the hood is the pitcher. The roll around the top contains a large concentration of nectar glands with drops of nectar making the area at the top of the picture slippery for insects. Some research has suggested that the nectar may have narcotic properties, drugging the insect to make it more vulnerable. All Sarracenias have downward pointing hairs inside their trumpets, leading the insect further inside but making it hard for them to climb back out. The further inside the trumpet the insect goes the more it comes into contact with digestive juices. Eventually it falls to the bottom of the pitcher and is consumed. Like a spider the plant simply sits there waiting for its meal to arrive.
Sarracenia hybrid (5), pitcher entrance
The Sarracenia below is shorter and less upright. Unlike the one above its hood stands vertical allowing water to collect in the pitcher. Visiting insects fall into the water and drown. The water is mixed with digestive juices so you can guess what comes next.
Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea
Here is a good view of the downward pointing hairs that prevent some insects from climbing back out.
Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea
Not all insects succumb. Some wasps are strong enough to chew a hole and escape while bees have been seen cleaning slippery areas inside the pitcher, allowing them to gain footholds and climb out. Other forms of wild life use the plants to their advantage. Small organisms live in the water held in the trumpets above for example. I have also seen small spiders spin webs at the top of the pitchers and catch some of the smaller insects as they arrive.
I think they are fascinating and beautiful plants, though rather unsettling at times.
15 comments
I have a small bog garden in my North Carolina garden (zone 7) and grow pitcher plants, Venus fly traps, sundews, equisetum, and several rushes, sedges, and iris. The sundews are annuals but all of the other plants come through the winter well. The pitcher plants and Venus fly traps look terrible right now in mid March but the new growth is ready to spring forth.
Karen: I’m not sure how hardy my Venus Fly Traps and Sundews will be so I’ll have to experiment when I eventually move them into containers too.
This is a great idea…I have been intrigued by these unusual plants for a while…I might be able to keep them half buried and in a mucky soil! Btw, your photos are great. The pitcher plants have fantastic patterns. gail
Gail: I do recommend them so it would if you could give them a try. As you say the patterns are fascinating.
My daughter just found out about Venus Flytraps and is desperate to get one. Maybe an outdoor bug-eater would be a compromise. Good idea about artificial peat bog, hope it works! I might have to try that sometime… Very Little Shop of Horrors!
Karen: Venus Fly Traps appeal to children but the problem is each trap only closes about 4 times and then dies. What child can resist poking them (lol) – which can weaken the plant. Pitcher plants are interesting too and tougher – you can hear insects buzzing inside. If you drop a thin bit of grass inside insects can be rescued!
The sarracenias make great photo subjects – I enjoyed seeing their bits and pieces close up and personal. Like the idea the little creatures go off to their maker in a narcotic stupor, and that the spiders are working the bug traffic to their own advantage. Looking forward to seeing the planting complete with moss.
Barbara: Yes their patterns and shapes are very interesting to photograph. Their colours are particularly good in summer.
I like carnivorous plants. I had a big plot in my pond. Yours look so good. You have a nice collection there. Mine have disappeared over the years have been overgrown with other bog plants. I used to get sundews and other tiny ones for the grand children. They were fascinated with them. I am tempted to buy the big ones in the hanging pots. But I think they need the right place to flourish, somewhere cool and moist.
Titania: I stick with the ones that are easy to grow! The hanging ones need too much humidity and I’ve failed to get them to thrive.
I agree with you, I find these plants fascinating too. One of these days I keep telling myself I will start a pitcher plant garden. Sigh. One of these days. Glad you got yours planted.
I always find carnivorous plants fascinating when I see them at gardening shows but have never seen any for sale locally. Do you get yours from a specialist nursery ? I am glad that the bees manage to make a get away :)
They are fascinating – though I am not sure they are for me …. Do they smell strange? All that chomping of flies and things
K
Fascinating – I always enjoy looking at them at Ness Gardens and Chester Zoo. Lovely shots.
Hi EG, thank you so much for this tutorial!!! I have been wanting to have a bog, but thought it had to be in the ground, not a container. I didn’t realize the pitchers were hardy folk, or some of them anyway. There is not room to bring that sort of thing indoors here. Burying the pot will keep it cool you say? I have an extra tub from the old pond set up that would be perfect. I have seen these types of gardens in large public arboretums and admired them. Your lovely photos have sold this southeastern US wannabe bog gardener. It seems doable! :-)
Frances
Good luck with your new boggy pot! I think the colors on those Pitcher plants are amazing. They are just doing what nature intended them to do, no offense taken. ;)
I have never grown these in my garden, but they are nice. Don’t know if they have any native to Crete but I know the very woman to ask here. I have added a feed thing to my blog, hope it is what you meant.
You have a fascinating carnivorous plant collection, and I like the details of texture on the closeups. The new container bog garden looks like a good way to keep and showcase the hardier ones.
I love carnivorous plants. I’ve got a recently vacated pot with no drainage hole, I’m tempted to try what you’ve done here. Beautiful and unexpected.
They actually look quite pleasant- I always imagined that carnivorous plants would look scary
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